Philippine Navy to receive new AW159 and KAAV-7A1 this May, to reach modernization milestones soon

After a long wait that involved project planning, procurement, and construction phases that spanned several years, the Philippine Navy (PN) was delighted to report that they are finally receiving two major weapon systems this May 2019, and will be formally inducted into service during their 121st Founding Anniversary celebrations.

These weapon systems are the AgustaWestland AW159 Mk. 220 Wildcat naval combat helicopters that were acquired under the Anti-Submarine Helicopter Acquisition Project, and the Hanwha Defense Systems KAAV-7A1 amphibious assault vehicles acquired under the Amphibious Assault Vehicle Acquisition Project. Both projects are part of the Horizon 1 phase of the Revised AFP Modernization Program (RAFPMP) initiated by the Aquino administration.

The AW159 Wildcat helicopters and KAAV-7A1 amphibious assault vehicles. Photos taken from and credited to Westleigh Bushell/Spotter Magazine (left) and Ahn Seung Bum/DefenseTimes.kr.

Delivery of AW159 Wildcat helicopters:

Note: for more information about the project including a summary and detail updates on the project prior to delivery, you can refer to our main portal specific for the project:

“Leonardo AW159 Wildcat naval helicopter of the Philippine Navy” – specifically talks about the acquisition of the AW159 Wildcat

“The Anti-Submarine Helicopter Acquisition Project (Horizon 1) of the Philippine Navy” – discusses the actual project prior to the selection of the product for delivery.

One of the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat bound for the PN, seen here mounted with a training torpedo round on April 2019.
Photo taken from and credited to UK plane spotter Liam Toohill (aviation.too).

The Philippine Navy ordered the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat naval combat helicopters after the Department of National Defense (DND) signed a contract with AgustaWestland (now part of Leonardo Group) for two units under a deal worth Php5.36 billion.

Originally the helicopters were supposed to be delivered on or before 29 September 2018 as stipulated in the contract, but Leonardo requested for a six-month time extension, with the delivery rescheduled to March 2019 and approved by the DND.

Due to circumstances, Leonardo can only deliver the helicopters by May 2019.

The first helicopter, with temporary UK serial number ZZ549 was first seen by British plane spotters on November 2018, while the second helicopter with temporary UK serial number ZZ550 was first seen by plane spotters on January 2019.

Both helicopters were used for training the air and ground crew of the Philippine Navy, which appears to have been trained pretty well by one of the most experienced Wildcat pilots in the UK.

The two AgustaWestland AW159 as they leave Yeovil for London-Stansted Airport for delivery preparation..
Photo taken by and credited to Westleigh Bushell and Spotter Magazine.

UK plane spotters and Dutch aviation media outlet Scramble Magazine confirmed on April 30 that the two helicopters were being flown from Leonardo’s facility in Yeovil to the London-Stansted Airport in preparation for delivery to the Philippines via a chartered civilian Antonov An-124 Ruslan strategic airlifter. The helicopters were disassembled to fit the transport aircraft, and was said to have left London-Stansted Airport on 05 May 2019 (UK standard time).

The aircraft carrying the helicopters is expected to reach Manila by 07 May 2019, although some additional information received by MaxDefense shows that trucks that will bring the helicopters from Manila to the Naval Aviation Group (NAG) facility in Danilo Atienza Air Base in Cavite City where the helicopters will be re-assembled and tested.

The two AgustaWestland AW159 Mk220 Wildcat naval helicopters for the Philippine Navy as they were prepared for delivery aboard a chartered Antonov An-124 Ruslan civilian heavy strategic airlifter.
Photos taken from and credited to Jojo Palma of Philippine Plane Spotters Group (PPSG).

** Update as of 07 May 2019:

They're finally home!

The An-124-100M Ruslan transport aircraft carrying the AW159s aeeived around 0340H 07 May 2019 in NAIA. Photos credited to Paolo Guinto (top) and John Bats (above), all from Philippine Plane Spotters Group FB page.

Delivery of KAAV-7A1 amphibious assault vehicles:

Another major project for delivery this month is the KAAV-7A1 amphibious assault vehicles from Hanwha Defense Systems of South Korea.

One of the KAAV-7A1 bound for the Philippines prior to its shipment last April 2019.
Photo taken from and credited to Ahn Seung-Bum / DefenseTimes.kr through Bemil @ Chosun Korean Defense Page.

These vehicles were ordered by the DND from Samsung Techwin (now Hanwha Defense Systems) in mid-2016 in a deal worth Php2.423 billion (US$55.553 million), and were supposed to be delivered in 2 batches starting 26 August 2018, although based on DND documents Hanwha committed to deliver the 1st batch of KAAV-7A1 by April 2018, and the 2nd batch by August 2018.

Hanwha Defense Systems was not able to meet their commitment nor their contractual deadline, and the last commitment they made as confirmed by the Philippine Navy’s Flag Officer in Command (FOIC) Vice Adm. Robert Empedrad to be March 2019.

One of the KAAV-7A1 bound for the Philippines during assembly at Hanwha Defense System's facility in Changwon, South Korea. Photo taken from and credited to Kim Dae Young / 김대영의 M-Inside's Facebook page.

According to Korean news BizHankook   the first batch of 4 units of KAAV-7A1s were shipped by Hanwha Defense Systems to the Philippines on April 2019, although based on MaxDefense’s check with sources, it appears that the vehicles have not yet arrived and may only be on its way to the Philippines as of this writing.

This was later on confirmed too by Korean defense pages DefenseTimes.kr and Bemil Chosun Korean Defense Forum, which shared photos of at least two completed KAAV-7A1 vehicles said to be bound for the Philippines.

The photo shows that the vehicles are mounted with the standard manned turret based on the Cadillac Gage Up-Gunned Weapon Station for a 12.7mm M2HB or equivalent heavy machine gun and a Mk.19 or equivalent 40mm grenade launcher. The vehicles were pained in olive drab, and appears to be fitted with the Enhanced Applique Armor Kit (EAAK) at least on the front section. Since it is illogical to have a partial armouring, it is highly possible that the vehicles for the Philippine Marines will have the EAAK similar to those used by KAAV-7A1s used by the Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC).

A Philippine-bound KAAV-7A1 fitted with a Cadillac Gage Up-Gunned Weapon Station for a 12.7mm heavy machine gun and 40mm grenade launcher. It also shows what appears to be an incomplete installation of the Enhanced Applique Armor Kit (EAAK) that started on the front end. It remains to be seen how much of the vehicle will be covered by it.
Photo taken from and credited to Ahn Seung-Bum / DefenseTimes.kr

Two more major modernization projects of the Philippine Navy are entering major milestones in the next few weeks.


Launching of future BRP Jose Rizal:

The first one coming in this month is the launching of the lead ship of the Jose Rizal-class frigates, the future BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) with Project Code P159, which was confirmed by PN FOIC Vice Adm. Robert Empedrad during an interview, wherein he said the launching will be happening sometime between 17-19 May 2019 in Hyundai Heavy Industry’s naval shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea.

A scale model of the Jose Rizal-class frigates, as provided by HHI to the DND and PN.
Photo exclusively shared to MaxDefense by one of our contributor.

The ship was born out of the Philippine Navy’s Frigate Acquisition Project, which is a Horizon 1 project under the Revised AFP Modernization Program.

It appears that the SND himself would be there, and it is also expected that the PN’s FOIC and other navy leaders would be there to attend the ceremonies.

Based on previous reports from the AFP and DND, as well as inputs from previous MaxDefense posts that were taken from different sources, the future BRP Jose Rizal had its first steel cutting ceremony on 01 May 2018, and the keel laying ceremony on 16 October 2018, is expected to be delivered to the Philippine Navy by 05 January 2020 (based on a delivery date of 1,095 calendar days from NTP release). This delivery date is still subject to changes, with the FOIC even mentioning March 2020 as an alternative delivery date.

Based on updated photos that MaxDefense received, the frigate is now almost ready for launching, with finishing work on the ship's exterior being done by workers, while we received info that work continues to be made inside the ship.

The future BRP Jose Rizal as it is on April 2019. Newer updates shows the finishing touches on the external parts of the ship already almost done, although a lot of subsystems including weapons and launchers, and sensors still need to be installed after the ship's launching.
Photo exclusively shared to MaxDefense by sources, decision to blacken the rest of the ship as sources wanted it to still be confidential.

Keel Laying of future BRP Antonio Luna:

Another milestone scheduled to be reached this month is the keel laying ceremony for the second Jose Rizal-class frigate, the future BRP Antonio Luna with Project code P160, which will take place after the launching of the future BRP Jose Rizal. The keel laying and assembly of the future BRP Antonio Luna will be done on the same spot where the future BRP Jose Rizal was assembled.

The ship had its first steel cutting ceremony on 17 September 2018, and is expected to be launched by December 2019.

Previous announcements mentioned that the future BRP Antonio Luna is scheduled for delivery to the Philippine Navy by 1st quarter of 2021, although it appears that its possible for Hyundai Heavy Industries to deliver the ship by 4th quarter of 2020 based on their current performance.

Photo during the keel laying ceremony of the future BRP Jose Rizal in 2018. The same ceremony will be held for the keel laying ceremony of the future BRP Antonio Luna this month. Photo from HHI.

Delivery of Pohang-class corvette BRP Conrado Yap in June or July 2019:

Works are still underway in South Korea on the Pohang-class Flight III corvette to be handed-over to the Philippine Navy by the South Korean government, which is to be named BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39). 

The former ROKS Chunju (PCC-762) of the ROKN, will be the future BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39) of the PN.

The transfer of the Pohang-class corvette is part of the Horizon 2 phase of the Revised AFP Modernization Program. It is also expected to be the first Horizon 2 project of the Philippine Navy that will be delivered.

But while the current project is considered a Horizon 2 project, the transfer of a Pohang-class corvette actually spanned several years that started during the Horizon 1 phase, but was delayed due to the rejection by the Philippine Navy of the first Pohang-class corvette offered by the South Korean government due to its poor condition. Re-negotiations for a newer ship was made, and it was only in 2017 that an agreement was made between the Philippine and South Korean sides.

Philippine Navy officers and sailors are already in Busan, South Korea to train in preparation of taking over the ship. These training includes on-shore academic and technical courses, as well as at-sea on the job training with the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) aboard active Pohang-class corvettes, and STX Offshore & Shipbuilding.

An invitation during the send-off ceremonies for the first batch of officers and sailors to train in South Korea in preparation of taking-over the Pohang-class corvette provided by the South Korean government.
Photo exclusively shared to MaxDefense by one of our contributor.

Previously MaxDefense reported that STX Offshore & Shipbuilding is the primary contractor on the rehabilitation works of the ship including providing the drydock, as well as the Weapons, Communications, Electronics, and Information Systems (WCEIS) works, while South Korean company Keumha Naval Technology Inc. (KHNT) handles the work on the ship's machinery and other repair works. Filipino company Apo Philtrade and Trading Services Inc. was contracted to provide the logistical requirements of the ship including consumables, furniture, among others.

Gun munitions appears to be provided in part by the Republic of Korea Navy, as well as purchased from South Korea's Poongsan. It also appears that the Philippine Navy will acquire some K6 12.7mm heavy machine guns from S&T Motiv. The ship won't have torpedoes with it when delivered, despite the torpedo launcher's availability.

Originally the timeline was for the ship to be delivered in 2018, but delays on the Philippine government's release of funding for works related on the ship pushed the schedule too long. Based on the latest information, the ship is scheduled to be officially handed-over, commissioned, and delivered to the Philippine Navy either within June or July 2019.

What's Expected Soon?

It would be noted that most of the upcoming assets were actually from the Horizon 1 phase, and it is expected to take several more years before the Philippine Navy can actually bear the fruits of the projects from the Horizon 2 phase. Out of 18 confirmed Horizon 2 projects of the PN, only 1 full project (Pohang-class corvette transfer) and 1 lot of another project (MPAC Batch 4 Combat Systems and Capability Upgrade) are awarded and contracted to proponents. That is a dismal accomplishment considering Horizon 2 has been in place for planned for since 2017, and approved for implementation since 2018. 

Also, a few more Horizon 1 and 2nd List of Horizon 1 projects are still being implemented until now, with the construction of the Multi-Purpose Attack Craft Batch 4 undetaken by Propmech Corporation-Lung Teh Shipbuilding Joint Venture expected to be completed within 2019.

MaxDefense looks forward on the Philippine Navy's 121st Founding Anniversary celebrations which will formally accept the AgustaWestland AW159 Mk.220 Wildcat naval helicopters and Hanwha Defense Systems KAAV-7A1 amphibious assault vehicles into service.

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Confirmed: Philippine Navy Acquires AgustaWestland AW-159 Lynx Wildcat as its Future Ship-based Anti-Submarine Warfare Helicopter

Previously MaxDefense discussed in several blog entries and in the MaxDefense FB community page, the Department of National Defense's (DND) then ongoing project for the Philippine Navy (PN), the Anti-Submarine Helicopter Acquisition Project (ASHAP). This project is part of the PN's Horizon 1 stage under the umbrella of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program (RAFPMP).

Funded under Republic Act (RA) 10349, the Philippine Navy planned to acquire two (2) ASW helicopters that will be working together with another important PN project, the Frigate Acqusition Project (FAP), which will be discussed separately in another blog entry. The aircraft's mission is primarily, to conduct anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and maritime patrol, while secondary missions are Search and Rescue (SAR), and passenger & cargo transport. The project also involves the acquisition of an initial batch of air-launched munitions for the helicopters, as well as an Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package.

AgustaWestland's AW-159 Lynx Wildcat will be delivered to the Philippine Navy after winning the Anti-Submarine Helicopter Acquisition Project.
Photo copyright by Przemyslaw Burdzinski and taken from Planespotters.net website.

More discussions about the ASHAP can be found on previous MaxDefense blog entries below, and readers, especially those new to the project or new to MaxDefense blogs, are encouraged to read them:

1. Importance of ASW Helicopters for the Philippine Navy...Why Block their Acquisition? - dated March 31, 2014, discussing the importance of an ASW helicopter for the Philippine Navy;

2. Its a Cat Fight for the Philippine Navy's ASW Helicopter Acquisition Program - dated July 11, 2014, discusses the Technical Specification of the project, the events before the 1st stage bidding of the ASHAP, and the possible bid submissions of AgustaWestland and Airbus Helicopters-PTDI Joint Venture;

3. The Fight for the PN's ASW Helicopter Still On, and Possible Acquisition of the FASGW(H) Sea Venom Missile for the Helicopters - dated October 22, 2014, was a discussion after the the ASHAP 1st stage bidding failed. It also discusses the possible entry of the MBDA Sea Venom missile into the Philippine Navy.

Airbus-PTDI offered a navalized variant of the AS565 Panther helicopter, to be built under license by PTDI in Indonesia.
Photo copyright Augustas Didzgalvis and taken from Airliners.net website.

Pre-Win Short History of the Project:

During the first stage bidding held on October 2014, only two companies, Anglo-Italian company AgustaWestland Ltd. and French-Indonesian partnership Airbus Helicopters-PTDI joint venture, submitted their bids to the DND. AgustaWestland was said to have offered the AW-159 Lynx Wildcat, while Airbus-PTDI offered a navalized version of Airbus' AS565 Panther helicopter, licensed built by PTDI in Indonesia.

As indicated in previous Supplemental Bid Bulletins with DND's replies to queries made by Airbus-PTDI, it appears that they had some difficulties meeting requirements of the project, including a need for the manufacturer to have supplied a helicopter with a capability for ASW and ASuW in the past 10 years to foreign armed forces. It turns out that Airbus' Panther was supplied to foreign armed forces with either ASW or ASuW capability only in the past 10 years. Only AgustaWestland's bid was considered responsive after the bid opening ended, declaring them the Single Responsive Bidder and automatically disqualifying Airbus-PTDI from the race.

Other prospective bidders like Bell Helicopter Textron did not submit a bid.

Second stage bidding was made in 2015, with AgustaWestland complying with the technical, legal, financial, and other requirements stipulated in the specification. This automatically brought them to a lengthy Post Qualification stage, which they passed by late 2015 after having delays in the side of the Philippine government with regards to sourcing funds.

In the end, the DND issued a Notice of Award (NOA) to AgustaWestland sometime between February and March 2016, and a contract was finally signed on March 29, 2016 at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. The contract is worth Php 5,362,762,748.56, and will involve the delivery of AgustaWestland's AW-159 Lynx Wildcat naval helicopter. It is unclear though if the DND already provided a Notice to Proceed (NTP) to AgustaWestland, signifying to proceed the preparation and manufacturing of the helicopters and acquisition of subsystems and munitions.

The Philippine Navy joins the Royal Navy and the Republic of Korea Navy as the 3rd operator of the type. It would be used in tandem with the new frigates to be built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers of India.

A copy of the Notice of Award given by the DND to AgustaWestland.
Photo taken from PhilGEPS website, as raised by Herbie @ PDFF Forum.

AgustaWestland's Cat:

It was confirmed in the past by MaxDefense sources, and seconded by reports made by IHS Jane's and local media, that AgustaWestland's offer was the AW-159 Lynx Wildcat, a new product by the company but is a further development to the proven Lynx & Super Lynx series of naval helicopters. It is actually one of the newest naval helicopters in the market today, with the first production naval variant received by the Royal Navy only at the end of 2013, and in entering service in 2015.

The Lynx (above) and the Lynx Wildcat (below) flying side by side and can be used to differentiate the two naval helicopters. The shape may have similarities, but the Lynx Wildcat is a totally different bird that has little similarities in parts, equipment, and performance with its older stablemate.
Photo taken from Wikipedia.

The Wildcat is capable of both Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW), and could be armed with a variety of air-launched munitions, including anti-submarine lightweight torpedoes, small and medium anti-ship and air-to-ground missiles, rocket and gun pods, plus pintle-mounted machine guns.

It is equipped with a Selex Galileo Seaspray 7000E active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar to scan for surface targets, an L-3 Wescam MX-15Di electro-optical/infrared nose turret, and possibly the Thales Compact FLASH dipping sonar for submarine detection, which was chosen for use by South Korean Wildcats.

The Seaspray 7000E is a AESA multi-mode surveillance radar. Its solid-state transmitter improves its performance and maintainability than conventional radar, has a maximum range of 200 nautical miles, and could track up to 200 targets simultaneously, including small crafts. The use on Wildcats by the Royal Navy was its first launch customer, and it is likely that the Philippine Navy would also be using the same surveillance radar for its own fleet of Wildcats.

It is unclear which dipping sonar will the Philippine deal include, but MaxDefense believes that the PN may follow the South Koreans by adapting the Compact FLASH dipping sonar from Thales. This is a smaller version of those used by the US Navy with their MH-60R Seahawks, and are designed for smaller helicopters although the Royal Navy use them on the humongous AW-101 Merlin helicopters.

Currently the AW-159 is cleared to fire the British Sting Ray lightweight torpedo, while it is still being cleared to fire the new MBDA Sea Venom short-range anti-ship missile, which will replace the Sea Squa used by the older Super Lynx family, as well as the smaller Thales Martlet Lightweight Multirole Missile. 

In South Korean service, the Wildcat is also cleared to fire the Israeli-made Rafael Spike NLOS missile and the LIG Nex1 K745 Blue Shark torpedo. MaxDefense sources confirmed that Rafael is in talks with the Philippine Navy and AgustaWestland regarding the supply of these missiles to go with the delivery of the Wildcats. It appears that the Spike NLOS is gaining traction due to its immediate availability compared to the Sea Venom which is expected to only enter service with the Royal Navy by 2018, so it is not expected to be carried by the Philippine Navy Wildcat when it arrives. But it could be an option for the PN if they wish to have a bigger missile for use against ships instead of the Spike NLOS. Rafael's recent win to supply the PN with the Spike-ER for the Multi-Purpose Attack Crafts (MPAC) could also help push Rafael's offer.

It is also worth mentioning that there were indications that the PN prefer to use the Blue Shark torpedo, based on the Supplementary Bid Bulletin documents included in the Philippine Navy's Frigate Acquisition Program. 

The AW-159 can be equipped with the Sea Squa's successor, the MBDA Sea Venom anti-ship missile (foreground).
Photo taken from Wikipedia.

The helicopter is said to be the right size for the Philippine Navy's requirements, being smaller than the Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk from the US, and the NH90 FFH from Europe, but larger than the Airbus Helicopters AS565 Panther from France, which was actually the only other contender of the Wildcat in this contest. This also makes the helicopter cheaper than the Seahawk and the NH90, but is said to be more expensive than the Panther.



Bill of Quantities for AgustaWestland's Bid:

Based on the Bill of Quantities submitted by AgustaWestland together with their bid, the helicopters itself costs only a little over half of the total contract amount. The helicopter's subsystems, notably the sensors, and initial load-out of ammunition took a huge share of the contract amount. The sensors are the helicopter's primary component, which makes the helicopter a versatile naval system for surface surveillance, ASuW, and ASW.

It also shows that acquiring ammunition is not cheap, and being a new user of such munitions, it is expected that the Philippine Navy will have to acquire more and maintain enough supply of warshot munitions in preparation of conflict, and program for live fire exercises once in a while. 

The BOQ also clearly shows what the deal includes. From the list above, it is comprehensive enough to allow the PN to be gently moulded from zero to a proficient and capable user of the entire system, with sufficient mission essential equipment, support, training, and logistics included in the deal.

With the Philippine Navy starting to have such capabilities, it would be easier for them to acquire additional units in the future, as long as they follow the same mindset of including essential training and maintenance support packages in the contract.

The AW-159 Wildcat, with labelling of its components for reader's understanding.
Photo taken from Finmeccanica.

Early Delivery Reputation:

With AgustaWestland's previous deliveries of the smaller AW-109E Power helicopters to the Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force, they were able to do so in a shorter span of time than what is stipulated in the contract. It is possible that AgustaWestland could also do the same with the AW-159 Wildcat, although it would be produced in a different factory than its smaller stable mate. The Wildcat will be built in AgustaWestland's facility in the United Kingdom, whereas the AW-109 were built in Italy.

Delivery is expected to be made in late 2018, although it is hoped that AgustaWestland can make a shorter delivery time even if production of the Wildcat for the British and South Korean navies are in full swing. This could allow the Philippine Navy to start training their men in the Philippines, and make the Wildcat unit into full operational status even if the new frigates are not yet available.. At a temporary basis, the Wildcat can be stationed with the Gregorio del Pilar-class frigates and conduct ship-based training not only for the pilots, but also for the ship and maintenance crews.



Finally...

Yes finally, after several attempts in the past to acquire a real ASW naval helicopter, the Philippine Navy is getting some. As more helicopter-capable naval assets become available, it is expected that the PN will request for more units as part of the Horizons 2 and 3 phases of the Revised AFP Modernization Program. MaxDefense will update its readers on this project, as it progresses until the next administration after those of Pres. Benigno Aquino III. 

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Its a Cat Fight for the Philippine Navy's ASW Helicopter Acquisition Program

The Philippines' Department of National Defense (DND) has updated the bid information on the Philippine Navy (PN) requirement for new Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) helicopters. Its latest Supplemental Bid Bulletin shows the DND's replies to queries sent by PT Dirgantara Indonesia (Indoensian Aerospace) - Airbus Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter) joint venture, and AgustaWestland.

The AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat naval helicopter, one of the expected entries for the PN's ASW Helicopter acquisition project.
Photo taken from Helihub website.

Although no information was provided in the media, it is expected that the PTDI-Airbus Helicopters venture will offer the Airbus AS565SB Panther naval helicopter, and AgustaWestland with the AW159 Wildcat. PTDI-Airbus recently won some tender projects with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), particularly with the Philippine Air Force (PAF) with the supply of 2 NC-212 Aviocar for the Lift Lift Fixed Wing Aircraft program, Airbus with the supply of 3 C-295 transport aircraft for the Medium Lift Fixed Wing Aircraft program, and AgustaWestland for the supply of 8 AW109E Power helicopters for the Attack Helicopter program, aside from the 5 AW109E Power naval helicopters for the Philippine Navy.

It was earlier announced in media reports that Bell Helicopters was also interested in this project, and it was expected by many that Sikorsky Aircraft, and even NHIndustries, may also show some interest in the project. Should these 3 other companies try to join, it was expected that Sikorsky may offer the S-70B Seahawk, NHIndustries with the NH90NFH, and Bell Helicopters may use a modified B412EP similar to its previous 412EP Sentinel from the late 1990s. But according to MaxDefense sources, all 3 helicopter manufacturers are not expected to join the tender, with Sikorsky and NHIndustries due to "budget vs product costs concerns", and Bell due to difficulty in making an offer based on their product line up to meet the DND/PN requirements.

The Airbus Helicopters' AS-565 Panther naval helicopter in service with the French Marine Nationale. PTDI of Indonesia  is Airbus' partner for the PN project, and has a license to produce the said helicopters in their Indonesian facility.
Photo taken from Helihub website.

With only PTDI-Airbus and AgustaWestland submitting queries, this further cements the idea that only these 2 manufacturers will be expected to submit a bid for the project, making this project a Panther vs Wildcat "cat fight".

MaxDefense was able to get the Technical Specifications released by the DND for this project, so called "Supply and Delivery of Two (2) Anti Submarine Helicopters to the Philippine Navy with Munitions, Mission Essential Equipment, and ILS". A summary of the said specs are as follows:

==========================
Technical Specifications Summary:

General Requirement:
- 2 brand new units (aircraft, systems, and components);
- Certified for both Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) capability;
- Crew of 2 pilots, passenger crew as Tactical Coordinator (TACCO) and Sensor Operator (SENSO) in ASW configuration, or 6 passengers in utility;
- Dual Pilot Control System and Automatic Flight Control System, 4-axis Autopilot System;
- Certified for Single-Pilot Instrument Flight Rules (SPIFR), and for night VFR operations using Generation III Night Vision Goggles (NVG);
- Cruising Speed of at least 120 knots in full ASW configuration with munitions;
- Maximum Take-off Weight (MTOW) of not more than 12,000 kgs.
- Payload of at least 1,800 kgs.;
- Endurance of at least 2 hours (revised from original requirement of 2 hours and 30 minutes) in full ASW configuration with munitions;
- Range of at least 240 nmi (revised from original requirement of 300 nmi.), in full ASW configuration with munitions;
- Retractable dimensions to fit ship hangar with dimensions at 14.3m (lenght) x 9.8m (width)  x 5.6m (height);
- To include manual or automatic main rotor blade and/or tail folding kits necessary for retraction;
- Equipped with Recovery, Assist, Securing and Traversing (RAST) system;
- Utilized for naval/maritime operations by country of origin or by at least 2 other countries;
- 730 days delivery schedule from issuance of Notice to Proceed (previously from issuance of Letter of Credit),

Airframe:
- External painting in matte grey with PN markings;
- Wheel type landing gears;

Powerplant:
- Twin turbine Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC) engines, capable of hot and humid operation
- Engine performance allows one-engine inoperative capability in full ASW configuration

ASW and ASuW System:
Acoustic System
- capable to detect, localize, classify, and track submarines and surface targets based upon data derived from active and passive accoustic sensors;
- Tethered (A rope or chain) active multi-frequency (medium to low frequency) sonar;
- Tethered Sonar may be integrated with sonobuoy processor, with capability to process sonar and sonobuoy data simultaneously;
Weapons and Munitions:
- Equipped with interchangeable/removabale Armament Control and Dispensing (ASCD) System for munitions, armaments, sonobuoys, and stores for smoke markers and Signal Underwater Sound (SUS);
- Capacity of each station for future weapons up to 600 lbs (272 kgs) per station;
- Allowable to upload/download external weapons while aircraft has rotors turning;
- Provisions for self defense stores including chaffs and flares.
Torpedo & Torpedo Launcher:
- To include 2 removable Torpedo launchers/dispensers per helicopter;
- To include 6 Torpedoes with warshot & exercise head per helicopter;
- Torpedo will be the same as those to be acquired for the new PN frigate, to wait for finalized technical specifications of the frigate (addendum as per new SBB);
- Torpedo should be lightweight, impact detonated, with sub-surface target homing capability in active/passive/mixed acoustic modes; with target range of not less than 10 kms., seawater battery operated with electrically rechargeable power source, and to include Flight in Air Material (FIAM) gears.
Air-to-Surface Missile & Launcher:
- To include 2 air-to-surface missiles per helicopter;
- Missile should weigh not more than 150 kgs., with a warhead weight of not less than 20 kgs., a range of not less than 20 kms., and must be equipped with an internal guidance system.
- Any missile system will do as long as it complies with the requirements above (addendum as per new SBB).
Heavy Machine Guns:
- To include 2 50-caliber Heavy Machine Guns, interchangeable and removal, either mounted on both sides, with 2 spare barrels per helicopter or pod mounted with pilot control firing mechanism
- To include 5,000 rounds ammunition per helicopter.
Radar:
- Optimized for surveillance, detection, classification and tracking of surface targets from minimum target range of 100 yards, to maximum of at least 120 nmi, at the service ceiling of 10,000 ASL, through 360 degrees;
- Capable of over-land surveillance, and supporting navigation and weather avoidance.
EO/IR - Forward looking Infrared (FLIR):
- Passively detect any Fast Patrol Boat / Fishing Boat sized vessel at a minimum range of 15 nmi in unobscured conditions;
- Provide imagery to classify by platform type any fishing boat sized vessel at a minimum range of 5 nmi. in unobscured conditions;
- Provide imagery to identify a platform at a slant range of 1,000 ft. in obscured conditions;
- Compact with multi-sensor system

Other Features:
- Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) / Selective Identification Feature (SIF)
- Mission Data Management System
- Tactical Data Exchange and Recording System, compatible to Tactical Data Link 16;
- Portable Down-link Receiver, compatible and ready for installation on and surface ship or ground station specified by the PN, and must be interoperable with the installed data link system of the helicopter;
- To include External Rescue Hoist with Strap, removable, with minimum capacity of 600 lbs.;
- To include Cargo Hooks with net and sling, minimum capacity of 500 kgs.

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From the specifications above, there is a strong indication that the PN and DND used the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat as their base platform. MaxDefense sources says that the PN already made previous discussions with several naval helicopter suppliers, including those joining the tender and those MaxDefense believed to be joining, before the tender was started. There are several items worth discussing on the specifications that will broaden up information on this acquisition project.

On General Requirements:
Both the naval Wildcat and Panther have an MTOW of less than 12,000 kgs, with the Wildcat a little heavier of the 2 helicopters at 6,000 kgs., and the Panther even less than half of the requirement at 4,500 kgs. But for payload, the Panther may have problems meeing the required 1,800 kgs. minimum weight, as the aircraft's specified weight only allows around 1,600 kgs. Being a smaller aircraft, the Panther is at a disadvantage on this regard against the larger Wildcat, including a possible technical issue on the required range and endurance in full load configuration. 

Dimensional drawing of the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat.
Photo taken from Globalsecurity website.

Both helicopters are equipped with a 4-axis autopilot and SPIFR systems, and RAST system. Both can also fit the required hangar dimensions in folded configuration. The navalized Panther is in service with the French Navy and several other navies like Israel, Morocco, United Arab Emirates, and Mexico. The Wildcat is a newcomer being a different aircraft from the older Super Lynx, and is now in service with the British Royal Navy, and was ordered by the South Korean Navy for its Incheon-class frigates.

The Israeli Navy operates the Panther from their Sa'ar V corvettes, and are actively used for surveillance and maritime patrol duties in extension of the corvette's capabilities.

On Airframe and Powerplant:
The competing helicopters are both compliant with the engine and landing gear requirements, being both powered by twin turbine engines with FADEC. Point of interest would be the paint scheme, which appears to follow the one used by the PN's AW109E Power naval helicopters.

The external paint scheme for the new ASW helicopters will probably follow the scheme used for the PN's AW109E Power naval helicopters, shown above.

On Weapons and Sensors Systems:
Both helicopters are capable of doing ASW, ASuW, and SAR missions, with only differences on the specifications of the systems they are using. It is expected that the Wildcat will be using the Thales Compact Flash dipping sonar similar to what the South Korean AW159s will be getting. Aside from a tethered dipping sonar system, the specs also require a surface scanning radar system that can be used for surveillance and targeting, and as an extension of its host ship's sensors system. The data link standard was previously on hold for further announcement, but the SBB has indicated that the PN would use the Data Link 16 standard. The Portable Downlink Receiver is an interesting requirement, which was required to be compatible to the data link system and is ready to install to the PN's naval ships and ground stations. MaxDefense believes that the PN was specifically looking at the Security Enhanced Data Transfer Unit, which has this ability and is compatible with Tactical Data Link 16 network.

An illustration of what the Wildcat can carry.

These helicopters are also capable of carrying chaffs and flares, and both can carry heavy machine guns as required, although the AS565 Panther appears to have difficulty of having them on door pintle mounts and may require gun pods, which reduces the number of external stores like additional ordinances that the helicopter can carry.

The Panther and Wildcat can both carry the required torpedoes, but will be dependent on the actual torpedo type and made that the PN chooses for its new frigates. The Panther can carry the US Mark 46 and French/Italian Whitehead A.244/s torpedoes, while the Wildcat is designed initially to carry the British Sting Ray torpedo, although AgustaWestland is currently making the aircraft capable of carrying the MU90 and other similar Western torpedoes. The torpedo's propulsion requirement for a seawater battery operated type may point to the MU90, as the rest of possible torpedo contenders use other means.

The BAE Sting Ray torpedo.
Photo taken from Navweaps.com.

The missile is where an edge of the Wildcat over the Panther shines out. The Wildcat currently carries the British Sea Skua ASM while the Panther carries the French AS 15TT. Both missiles meet and exceed the required missile and warhead weight minimum requirements. But for the PN's specified requirement that the range must be at least 20 kms. will keep the AS 15TT at bay due to its operational range of only 15 kms., 25% short of the minimum range requirement. The Sea Skua even exceeds the requirement with an operational range of 25 kms. 

The Sea Skua, above shown being loaded on a RN naval helicopter, meets the requirements set by the DND and PN for the helicopter-launched ASM acquisition together with the ASW helicopters.

A naval Panther from the UAE military equipped with 4 AS 15TT missiles, 2 on each side.

The Wildcat also benefits from an ongoing future missile requirement specified by the British Armed Forces, which includes the already available Thales Light Multirole Missle, although both the Panther and Wildcat shares the advantage of having the MBDA Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (FASGW) to replace both the British Sea Skua and the French AS 15TT. But while the PN requires a missile that is already being sold, which makes the Wildcat sit atop the Panther in the missile requirement. 

The only problem now is if the Sea Skua is still being produced by BAE Systems. If not, the British government may allow to provide pre-owned missiles from RN stocks, while the PN may opt to shift to the FASGW upon availability.


Additional Information related to the PN's New Frigates:
The additional information provided by the Supplemental Bid Bulletin also included tidbits of information that pertains to the incoming new frigates of the PN. Some previously missing information were answered and may shed important information on the ships.

The frigate specifications did not provide the exact data link system to be used, which is now known as the Tactical Data Link 16 network. This was probably decided upon by the PN between the release of the frigate and ASW specifications. It is interesting to note the the US, Australian, and Japanese military, NATO and most partner nations use this network, allowing inter-operability and joint use of tactical information. The SBB also shows that there is a possibility that most major, if not all, Philippine Navy ships will be installed with the Data Link 16 network.

It also confirms that the PN has not yet decided on the torpedo type until the ASW Helicopter SBB was released. 


Sure Winner?
With these information, it looks quite clear that the PN is going for the AW159 Wildcat, although PTDI-Airbus and any other manufacturers will be given a chance to match or exceed AgustaWestland's newest baby either by the specs or by the price. So far MaxDefense sources confirmed that the navalized Panther's unit price is several million dollars cheaper than the Wildcat, although in terms of capability, the Wildcat exceeds the Panther in several attributes. Add to that the earlier win of AgustaWestland to supply smaller naval helicopters to the PN in the form of 5 AW109E Power helicopters, which gave them an advantage in terms of supply chain, training, maintenance, and cooperation agreements.

So is the DND and PN handing the silver platter to AgustaWestland? Although it looks like it, until the bidding proceeds and all bid submissions are opened, validated, and passed the post bid qualifications, we cannot really say. There are instances that manufacturers fail the post-bid qualifications, although the chances are slim. 

MaxDefense will be following this major acquisition program with updates on the bottom part of the blog to be added later on, and more information on the comments and replies that will mount up later on.

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UPDATES:
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October 15, 2014:
With the Anti-Submarine Helicopter acquisition going through a second attempt for the first stage bid, the schedule for bid submission and opening was again moved, from October 21, 2014 to October 28, 2014. This was done due to a request from AgustaWestland and PT Dirgantara Indonesia seeking clarifications on the bidding documents provisions.

The official document from the DND can be found here:
http://www.dnd.gov.ph/transparency/procurement/DND_BAC/Supplemental_Bid/SBB%20NR%20DND-AFP-PN-R-ASHAP-01-14.pdf


In this reset of the bidding, there are no definite bidders yet, although it was reported before that those who showed interest or acquired the bid documents include AgustaWestland, PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI), Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), and a joint venture between Bell Helicopter Asia and Serpenair Group. It is interesting to note the absence of Airbus Helicopters, which showed interest on the project and submitted a bid for the bidding's first attempt. It is possible that they are teaming up with PT DI, which was recently granted a license to locally build the AS565 Panther helicopter including its ASW variant. 

It would be safe to assume that AgustaWestland will still offer the AW159 Wildcat, while it is expected that Bell Helicopters will field a navalized variant of the Bell 412. It is still unclear if IAI will submit an entire bid, or will be joining a specific aircraft manufacturer as a system supplier or integrator.

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